Batherson

The two RFA deals are very reasonable. A 25-year-old, third-pair physical defender like Arber Xhekaj coming off low counting stats but established NHL value can easily land a 2-year bridge around $1.5M in arbitration territory. Zack Bolduc at 3x$3M after a 30-point season at age 23 is a bit rich for that production, but as a bet on upside for a young middle-six winger it’s still within a believable range, especially for a team with cap room. The Batherson trade is the swing piece. From Ottawa’s side, moving a 71-point, 28-year-old top-six winger on an expiring deal to a division rival is not ideal, but the return is substantial: Newhook as an NHL forward under team control, a good RD prospect in Engstrom, a goalie prospect, plus an unprotected 2027 first and a fourth. For a Sens team that just made the playoffs and is trying to stay competitive, they’d only consider this if they doubt they can re-sign Batherson or want to reallocate money and term; even then, dealing him in-division is uncomfortable but not impossible with that package. Cap and roster numbers are clean and legal, so the plan is workable, with the main stretch being Ottawa’s willingness to move Batherson to Montreal rather than a Western Conference bidder.